Solutions

Alternative Energy

“To move us away from dependence upon non-renewable oil, gas and coal, and high-risk nuclear power, alternative energy systems utilize renewable resources for electricity, heating, cooling and transportation. Alternative energy also encompasses efforts to use nonrenewable natural resources in more sustainable, environmentally benign ways.” http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/feature/alternative_energy/53-1.html

Alternative Technology

These technologies are alternatives to resource-intensive and wasteful industries. Alternative technologies aim to utilize resources sparingly, with minimum damage to the environment, at affordable cost and with a possible degree of control over the processes.
Examples:
Composting
Grey water
Alternative fuels etc.

Appropriate technology

Appropriate technology is technology that fits, rather than forcing life to fit the technology, it is based around smaller settings and technologies. Appropriate technology stemmed from the work of the British economist Dr. Fritz Schumacher.
-We tend to think small is powerless but, atoms are small and so are deadly viruses.

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."
the Dalai Lama

Biomass

Biomass is essentially non-fossil matter such as flora; fauna or any organic material which when used along with their by-products can produce biomass energy. It can be used to create energy directly or indirectly.

Biofuels

Is any fuel that is derived from biomass — recently living organisms or their metabolic byproducts, such as manure from cows. It is a renewable energy source, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal and nuclear fuels. Examples: Sugar cane, Manure

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a vegetable oil-based fuel that runs in unmodified diesel engines - cars, buses, trucks, construction equipment, boats, generators, and oil home heating units. It's usually made from soy or canola oil, and can also be made from recycled fryer oil (yes, from McDonalds or your local Chinese restaurant). You can blend it with regular diesel or run 100% biodiesel. http://www.biodieselnow.com/

“Biodiesel is booming because it is the easiest, most effective, and most affordable way available today to integrate renewable energy into our main stream energy supply.” -Gene Gebolys, founder and CEO of World Energy

Hydro

Hydropower is a fueled by water, so it's a clean fuel source. Hydropower doesn't pollute the air like power plants that burn fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas but can face unique environmental challenges.

Technologies for harnessing energy from water:

Waterwheels , used for hundreds of years to power mills and machinery
Micro Hydro which is a smaller version of a hydro electric damn and does not cause environmental challenges. There are many of these installations around the world, and are efficient for supplying energy on a home or small communities scale.

Tidal power, captures energy from the tides in horizontal direction
Tidal stream power, which does the same vertically
Wave power, uses the energy in waves

Methane

A gas given off by animal waste. It can be used as fuel, but the process to turn it into fuel is very expensive, so this is not done very often. Methane is a greenhouse gas, which means that it contributes to global warming. Example Straus Dairy Farm http://www.strausmilk.com/index.php

Solar

Solar power is the technologies of obtaining usable energy from the light of the Sun. Examples of solar technologies are: Solar heating, Solar cooking, Solar lighting, Photovoltaic, Solar thermal electric power plants, etc.

-Passive solar is a term referring to those technologies that can be employed to convert sunlight into usable heat, to cause air-movement for ventilation or cooling, or to store the heat for future use, without the use of much or any electrical or mechanical equipment.

-Active solar is a term for the same technologies as listed above, but require the use of pumps or fans via significant conventional energy.

"I'd put my money on solar energy... I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that." Thomas Edison, in conversation with Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, March 1931

Wind power

Is the conversion of wind energy into more useful forms, usually electricity using wind turbines.

-Two major sites for installation:
1)Onshore turbine installations in hilly or mountainous regions tend to be on ridgelines.
2)Offshore wind turbines cause less aesthetic controversy since they often cannot be seen from the shore.